Part 1: A YZL Journey

When I first heard about the collaboration Phoebe and Teresa wanted to have with
other ladies and gents about healthy living and achieving a zen life, I was eager to delve
into the project! I hadn’t been living the healthiest lifestyle in terms of food consumption,
but I had been wanting to make changes. I took YZL as a sign that now was the time to start.

I am a recent university graduate, and I’m sure most of you know that eating well
in college is not an exceptionally easy thing to do, especially since I didn’t have a car to
get to organic grocery stores or to the Farmer’s markets early in the morning. Either way,
without a kitchen to concoct delicious options, I was left with the grease-filled, fried food
at the cafeteria and at the little diner on my school’s campus. Sure, there was a salad bar,
but there’s only so much salad that I can eat multiple times a day, every day! If I had eaten
any more, I probably would have turned so green that I’d resemble Gumby. Aside from
that, late nights of studying were accompanied by multiple cups of coffee (sadly, I chose the
sweeter option of nightly white mochas), preserved snacks that came in air-tight bags and
cardboard boxes, and 1am runs to get donuts, Taco Bell, or In-N-Out (because inevitably,
one of my friends or someone of my floor would be going to get one of those options… a girl
needs a study break!)

I was able to incorporate a bit of exercise in my schedule with required P.E. classes
and with dance, but it honestly wasn’t enough with the amount of sugar and carbohydrates
I was consuming. My final year in school, I was taking classes, had a job, an internship, and
was involved in so many activities that I was overbearingly drained all the time. I attributed
it to my horrible sleeping habits, but in the back of my mind, I knew that my eating habits
were contributing to my lethargy. I just didn’t do anything about it.

Now, a few months out of college, I have decided to do something about it. I first
tried in the middle of August, when the YZL girls requested for collaborations. I went to the
Farmer’s Market the next morning, and bought some fruits for juicing, all natural cactus-
corn tortilla chips, and cilantro and jalapeño hummus for healthy snacking.

Unfortunately, it only lasted three days, because I was so tempted by the food my
family was eating. I. Could. Not. Resist. Spaghetti. (Don’t judge me.) I grew discouraged,
and sort of gave up for a month and half. I came to my senses, though. We all know the
hackneyed, but still inevitably true phrase, “If at first you don’t succeed, try, try again.”

So here I am, trying again. That was my story of failed attempts. I know that I might
stumble here and there, but this time, I know I can do it. I’ve just begun going to an all
women’s gym with spinning classes, yoga, pilates, and dance classes.

I feel entirely motivated and enthusiastic to embark on this journey. I am fully
aware that it won’t be easy, but that’s what will make it fun! Knowing that I am not alone,
that I am doing it with all of you, will help me along.

Not the end…

By Brittany Cardinas

22-year-old aspiring writer and actor, originally from the lovely island of Guam but now living in Los Angeles. I’m fond of rain, the color gray, and the word whimsical. I am passionate about traveling, reading, writing, loving, film, and most recently healthy living.

Contributed by

Guest Contributor

“As you know, Your Zen Life is a scrapbook of ideas; a platform for opinion and discussion and an outlet to share stories of personal triumph. The site isn’t just by us, it’s by you!

And so we are inviting you to add a ‘page’ to our big online YZL scrapbook and be a guest contributor!

We would also appreciate if you could include an appropriate picture to add to your article, either one you have taken yourself or one that you have permission to use (please do not send a photo that you have not gained permission to use, as you could be held liable for it’s unauthorized usage).

As a disclaimer, we are required to say the following. By sending us an article you give us permission to make necessary amendments to your contribution, including grammatical edits and cutting down word count if it applies. At no point will we add anything to your work. We are merely requiring permission to edit your contribution down as we see fit or as is necessary for the website.

So again, this is what we would need from you before we will post your blog:

– An article on anything well-being related 300- 800 words

– A Photo that directly corresponds to the content of your article. (Note: not a head-shot). Please note that it needs to be something that you either have permission to use or have taken yourself.

– 30-50 word bio (e.g sabrina jasmine is an avid yogi, writer, vegan, animal lover and has studied theology for the past 4 years. she embraces a happy and healthy lifestyle and loves spreading her wellbeing knowledge to the world)

If this all sounds cool to you, then we wold love to collaborate with you!!

You can just start writing and send your awesome contributions to us as an email when you’re done.